Lafrance to build hotel and function hall in Wareham

WAREHAM — Less than three years after opening a five-story hotel in New Bedford, Lafrance Hospitality is looking to build again, this time a combined hotel and function facility in Wareham.

Beth Perdue

WAREHAM — Less than three years after opening a five-story hotel in New Bedford, Lafrance Hospitality is looking to build again, this time a combined hotel and function facility in Wareham.

The Westport-based hospitality company is partnering with A.D. Makepeace Co. for what will be its ninth hotel. Plans call for a four-story, 90-room structure with attached 10,000-square-foot function space to be located in Makepeace's Route 28 development at the intersection of Interstates 195 and 495.

The planned 50,000-square-foot hotel will be the anchor structure for the Rosebrook Place development with additional building sites to be marketed as a pharmacy, bank and casual dining restaurant, according to Linda Burke, Makepeace vice president for marketing and communication. Three additional building sites will likely become commercial businesses on the ground level with 36 residential apartments above them.

Behind the plaza, set further back from Route 28, is a second Makepeace development, the Rosebrook Business Park, which currently has one medical building with multiple tenants including Southcoast Health System, and sites for two additional buildings.

Part of the attraction of building at the Makepeace site is the location, said Richard Lafrance, Lafrance Hospitality CEO. The site is just off two major highways, at the so-called Gateway to Cape Cod, and less than a mile from Wareham Crossing, a major retail plaza.

The unique setting, with cranberry bogs separating the two developments, is also a plus, he said, particularly for attracting wedding business.

"It's a perfect setting for weddings and special events," said Lafrance. "More and more, wedding trends are looking for unique destinations weddings."

While the function facility will be smaller and simpler than White's of Westport — Lafrance's flagship facility and corporate headquarters — it will fill a need for event space in the area, Lafrance said.

"I think really the country clubs are what services the function space (in the Wareham area) now but that's with limited access," he said. "We're confident we can be very successful there from a functions standpoint."

The company hopes to attract wedding groups of about 150 to 250 people and could accommodate up to 300, Lafrance said.

In a statement announcing the hotel, Makepeace president and CEO Michael Hogan said the project will benefit the entire town, which has no full-service hotel facilities.

"I believe this will be a true asset to the region's tourism industry as well as an attraction for other businesses," said Hogan. "Furthermore, having an experienced regional operator undertaking this project will be an asset."

The hotel brand will be the TownePlace Suites by Marriott and is geared toward extended-stay travel including business travel, according to Lafrance. It complements the company's nearby hotels in Plymouth and New Bedford, he said, and will include an indoor pool.

Lafrance said he hopes to begin construction this year and open in 2014. Many of the permits on the property have already been obtained by Makepeace except for building permits. Lafrance recently approached the town looking for tax credits he says will make the project financially feasible.

Details of any potential Tax Increment Financing agreement have not yet been worked out, according to Burke, but the goal is to bring the request to Town Meeting on April 22. Unlike other industries, even with a TIF, the hotel industry brings in substantial rooms and meals tax revenue to the town, she said.

Lafrance said timing will depend on the TIF and the company's ability to secure financing. The company is currently seeking financing for what Burke estimated is about a $7 million construction project.

"We're still in the preliminary stages," said Lafrance. "We've talked to a few of our regional local banks, which is where our preference is. If we get a TIF and if we get financing, then we'll likely start this year and hope to open next year."

The project is expected to create approximately 50 full- and part-time positions when fully operational, according to Lafrance Hospitality.